An information-packed, beautifully illustrated handbook exploring the evolution of design, from the industrial revolution to the digital explosion

Designers, makers and users are the three essential participants in the creation of any kind of design. This is not limited to objects or buildings, but includes environments, systems and networks. Exploring these relationships enables us to understand how we shape the world and how it, in turn, shapes us.

To coincide with the Design Museum’s highly anticipated move to the former Commonwealth Institute in Kensington in 2016, Designer Maker User traces the evolution of design, from its roots in the Industrial Revolution to its transformation by the digital explosion. Rather than present a conventional chronology, this book focuses on the continuing interaction between the three key players – Designers, Makers and Users – and the role of design in modern society.

Featuring pivotal writings on design, a carefully-curated portfolio of design landmarks and a simple timeline charting the development of the modern design industry, Designer Maker User pushes beyond the walls of the museum, providing students and non-specialists with an appreciation for the significance of design and its far-reaching impact on the world in which we live. It is not only a view into the Design Museum’s permanent collection, but also a remarkable primer on contemporary design.